15 Thanksgiving sides you can make in a slow cooker

Erin McDowellNov 16, 2024, 22:14 IST

Try making your macaroni and cheese in a slow cooker this Thanksgiving.Sarah Olson/The Magical Slow Cooker

A slow cooker or Crock-Pot can be an essential tool for making your Thanksgiving dinner.
From stuffing to cranberry sauce, slow cookers can help you make classic Thanksgiving side dishes.

Everyone knows that when it comes to Thanksgiving food, the sides are arguably the standouts.

And this year, a survey by LendingTree said that Thanksgiving hosts are set to spend an average of $431 on food, drinks, and decor — a 19% increase from last year — making every dish count more than ever.

However, when your oven is busy cooking the turkey for hours on end, it can be difficult to figure out where exactly to cook your side dishes. Enter a Crock-Pot or slow cooker.

Slow cookers can help you make several easy Thanksgiving side dishes, from stuffing to cranberry sauce and delicious dips.

Here are 15 Thanksgiving sides you can make in a slow cooker.

Sweet-potato casserole with marshmallows can easily be made in a slow cooker.

Sweet potatoes with cinnamon and marshmallows.Sara Seaberry/Getty Images

Meatballs make a great appetizer for guests while you're busy cooking on the stove.

Meatballs.anewlifephotostudio/Getty Images

You might be surprised to learn you can make mashed potatoes in a slow cooker.

Slow cooker mashed potatoes.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Try making your stuffing in a slow cooker, rather than in the oven or inside the turkey.

Stuffing.Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

Some people swear by mac and cheese on Thanksgiving.

Mac and cheese in a slow cooker.Sarah Olson/The Magical Slow Cooker

Turkey chili is an easy slow-cooker recipe to make on Thanksgiving or the next day with leftovers.

Turkey chili.vm2002/Shutterstock

Butternut-squash soup is a festive soup you can make in a slow cooker.

Butternut-squash soup.Ekaterina Kondratova/Shutterstock

Candied yams are an easy Thanksgiving recipe to make in a slow cooker.

Candied yams.sasaken/Shutterstock

Slow-cooked glazed carrots are delicious and unbelievably easy to make in a slow cooker.

Glazed carrots.Elena Shashkina/Shutterstock

Green-bean casserole is another Thanksgiving side dish that can be made in a slow cooker.

Green-bean casserole.Elizaveta Korobkova/Shutterstock

Buffalo-chicken dip is a quick crowd-pleaser.

Buffalo-chicken dip.AS Food studio/Shutterstock

Queso is another appetizer that can easily be made in a Crock-Pot.

Queso in a slow cooker.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Another one of Olson's favorite slow-cooker dishes around the holidays is cranberry sauce.

Cranberry sauce.EBMarketa/Getty Images

Dinner rolls can also be made in a slow cooker or Crock-Pot.

Dinner rolls.AnnSal/Shutterstock

You can make pumpkin pie in a slow cooker for a tasty side dish or dessert after the meal.

Pumpkin pie.Tetra Images/Getty Images

I'm a private chef who loves shopping at Trader Joe's. Here are 10 items I always buy when creating meals for my clients.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website